Heritage conservation economics: A case study from Italy

Main focus is to try to understand the quantitative and qualitative effects stemming from the presence of Cultural Heritage on the economy and society of a geographic area. Different categories of effects have been classified and various related techniques for measurement have been scientifically experimented. A pioneer taxonomy has been experimented coordinating each category of effect with a matching valuation technique. The identity and definition of effectsenefitsalues is adopted and used. Finally, the recognition and acknowledgement of the most relevant effectsenefitsalues of each resource or artifact made it possible to define its Total Value TV or Social Complex Value SCV with the help of quantitative as well as qualitative Multi Criteria valuation approaches, methods and techniques. Comparative assessment of TV orand SCV of alternative resourcesartifacts (historic centres; medieval towns; historic city walls; vernacular districts or villages; castles; watch towers; historic civil buildings; churches; etc. ) make it possible to rank them and the alternative preferences or hierarchy of investiment for their conservation. A Case Study is provided describing a Multi Criteria comparative valuation among castles and watch towers in a geographic area defined at county level.